Chapter 326: Chapter 202: "It has already erupted." _2
Obviously, they seem a bit smarter than other zombies.
They’ve learned to use radar-blocking steel plates to cover both sides of the tunnel and move stealthily.
However, he still posted a pinned message on the Train Radio.
"7th-level Mechanical Train, Fixed Star": "Those willing to follow me, contact me privately. Hand over two-thirds of your train’s iron and copper ores to me, and I’ll privately send you the coordinates where there’s a high chance you can survive this crisis. At the very least, I can ensure the survival of your Train Captain and core staff. If things get really dire, you can join my train."
Perhaps it’s because the departure of those two 9th-level trains from the Zombie Basin has made people more anxious.
Or perhaps it’s because he was the first to discover this Zombie Volcano, is known for his trustworthy trading, and ranks first in the Supermodel Effect rankings.
He received quite a few private messages.
The first was from Er Dan.
"Should have said earlier, brother. Give me a bottle of cola, and I’ll remotely trade the iron and copper ores to you. My life depends on your protection, bro."
...
Ten minutes later.
A total of 14 trains completed the trade with him.
He acquired a total of 2.8 million units of iron ore and 2.1 million units of copper ore.
The land around the "Zombie Basin" is high, and the deeper you go, the lower the terrain.
He set the coordinates at a high point.
"Reputation and fame are potential wealth."
Chen Mang looked at the resources on the Train Panel and smiled.
With 2.8 million units of iron ore received, the train now has 7.14 million units of iron ore. Getting the remaining iron ore bits here and there will suffice, and things are pretty much secure.
...
Ten hours later.
The morning sun rises, painting the horizon red.
All residents were recalled to the train, and the Constant Star Train started to sail towards the deepest part of the Zombie Basin. He needed to check on the progress of that group of zombies.
During these ten hours, they mined another 2.2 million units of copper ore.
A full 3,000 residents joined in, and given it was a rather rare 3rd-level copper mine, it directly resulted in 2.2 million units of copper ore. A larger population has its advantages, leading to a significant boost in production efficiency.
This was even with the 1,500 survivors recently taken in being kept in refrigerators, not working.
There is still a little more than half of this 3rd-level copper mine left unexploited.
But there was no time for that now.
His sense of apprehension grew stronger. It was better to check on that group’s zombie progress first.
The distance wasn’t short, but his train was fast enough.
In just under an hour.
The train successfully reached the deepest part, with the Target Detection Radar screen clearly showing more than a dozen trains gathered there, obviously for reconnaissance, but unfortunately, their radars weren’t adequate.
And...
Seven or eight trains were traveling underground, with high-speed rotating drills continually opening tunnels.
"Stop!"
Chen Mang’s face suddenly changed, as one train was already underground and about to meet the tunnel dug by the zombies. That train’s radar couldn’t detect zombies ahead and was ignorantly digging.
He immediately opened the Train Radio, forcibly sending a private message.
"Stop, zombies are just ahead of you, run fast!"
But it was too late.
The two sides successfully broke through the last barrier and met. The train was almost instantly pulled into the tunnel, enveloped by endless zombies.
At that moment, he finally understood why Zhang Yiren kept the leading male and female apart in his script; meeting sometimes is not a good thing.
Like now.
The zombies’ tunnel was much larger than the trains’ tunnels.
However, the next moment—
"Boom!"
An earth-shattering tremor suddenly came from underground, followed by countless violent airflows rushing out from an underground cavern, surging along the zombie’s tunnel towards the train’s tunnel!
The surface instantly cracked with countless fissures.
Then, a pit about two meters in diameter appeared on the ground surface, from which countless violent airflows erupted, spraying hundreds of zombies a hundred meters into the air.
This was just the beginning.
Under the onslaught of the violent airflows, the pit expanded rapidly, swelling to a diameter of several dozen meters in a blink, constantly widening. More and more high-level zombies were also blasted hundreds of meters into the air.
In an instant!
The stench was overwhelming, and pale yellow dust enveloped the whole area, endless zombies incessantly erupting from underground. And there weren’t just monsters he had never seen before.
The number was far beyond his estimates!
In just a few seconds, nearly 10,000 monsters spewed forth.
As for the more than a dozen trains detecting on the surface, four didn’t even have time to react and were swallowed by the deep pit, then hurled into the air where they were besieged by other monsters climbing into the wagons, while the remaining trains scrambled away in frantic fear.
...
The moment the ground cracked, Chen Mang had already activated the "Bunny Cloud" wheels to steer clear and head toward his designated coordinates, where Er Dan and the dozen-or-so trains under his protection were waiting for him.
"It’s begun."
In a daze, Chen Mang stuck his head out of the skylight, visually checking the endless zombies being shot into the sky, noting that in just a few seconds, the ground was densely covered with a mass of zombies.
Including a bat about 2 meters long, not enormous, but with wingspan extended to a full six or seven meters.
The Target Detection Radar showed this bat as level 9.
A level 9 "Dead Bat."
Perhaps due to it flying, it hovered in the air after erupting from underground, let out a piercing cry, and darted towards the Constant Star Train at an even faster speed!
Ignoring the numerous fleeing trains below.
Headed straight for him.
"Cannons ready."
Withdrawing, Chen Mang returned to his seat, speaking solemnly.
The 10 Doomsday Cannons on the carriage roof began to slowly spin, waiting until this level 9 "Dead Bat" entered the Target Detection Radar range to lock on and finally fire!
This level 9 Dead Bat was extremely fast, even faster than the Constant Star using Bunny Cloud wheels, rapidly closing in.
Meanwhile, a stream of information rapidly scrolled across the screen.
"Not in range yet... Unable to lock, 9000 meters remaining."
"Not in range yet... Unable to lock, 5000 meters remaining."
"Not in range yet..."
Just then—
The Dead Bat tailing from behind suddenly let out another piercing cry, furiously flapping its wings as three or four dozen baby bats flew out from its abdomen, shooting towards the Constant Star even faster!
And each baby bat was... level 9!
It only took a moment.
Nearly 40 level 9 monsters all locked onto the Constant Star Train.
"..."
Chen Mang looked somewhat grim as he stared at the control screen. The Target Detection Radar could clearly detect the monsters’ level and abilities, and these baby bats were among the level 9 Dead Bat’s arsenal.
These babies only had a lifespan of five minutes.
Five minutes after birth, they would die.
But in those five minutes, they’re true level 9 monsters.
"Fire!"
By this time, the bats had entered the Target Detection Radar range. Under AI control, the 10 Doomsday Cannons quickly calculated the baby bats’ movement trajectories and began a fierce barrage!
"Boom boom boom!!"
One by one, the level 9 shells formed a long string of beads in the sky, encompassing those baby bats. Though their speed was incredibly fast, their defense was markedly weak among level 9 monsters.
If hit by even a single shell, they’d die instantly.
In a blink, hundreds of level 9 shells streaked through the air, trailing flames.